Unsuspected Enemy
by EpicAndStrange
Summary: After several years, Katara finally starts to visit Fire Lord Zuko in the Fire Nation. When the two begin to see eachother with new eyes, there is an unsuspected enemy trying to tear them apart. How far will this person go? What is it they're after?
1. Prolouge

**Well, here is the prologue to my new Zutara fan fiction. About 2 years ago, I began writing a fan fiction that sounds a lot like how this one starts. It was on my old account : XORooeru.**

**It ended because of a bad case of writers block, and frankly wasn't all that great and I didn't know what I was going to do with it. This fic is sort of a build off of that one. But in those two years that went by I have become a better writer, not writing fanfictions though. So I will try to be more consistent with this fan fiction, but only if you people out there read and review it! Please? Okay so, here is the Prologue.**

Fire Nation summers are so different in comparison to Water Tribe summers. In the South Pole, the snow and ice still surround and cover everything, and the temperature barely climbs above freezing. Ice drips into small pathetic puddles for maybe a week before it begins to freeze all over again, entering yet another dark, stormy and cold winter.

To someone like Katara, who has lived in the Southern Water tribe her whole entire life, entering the Fire Nation during the summer was like walking straight into the pit of a volcano; sweltering to the point of death and burning. It seems like the sun casts a permanent oven- like haze over the island nation until winter just breezes through, barely touching. The last time she was even in the country during the season, was about five years ago when Sozin's comet arrived When she was fourteen years old with Aang, Sokka, Toph, Suki, Iroh and Zuko. After about a year since leaving home and everything and joining the Avatar to begin their journey, they finally defeated the Fire lord. Or at least, Aang did. She and Zuko took down Azula together. _Together. _The two teenagers were first sworn enemies, Katara seeing the face of the enemy as Zuko for so long. It took many attempts for trust to even begin to be built between the two. He helped her find the man who killed her mother, and when they fought Azula, she healed him when he was shot by lightning, trying to protect her. Their friendship really hit off right before the comet came, but never got deeper than that. Friendship.

Actually, Zuko and Katara never really saw too much of each other after the war ended. Zuko went on to be the new Fire lord, tending to his Nation, his duties and bringing everything back in line. Katara and Sokka went home to the South Pole, to meet up with those who went down there and help rebuild. They also wanted to go to take care of their grandmother, who was clearly not getting younger, and their new grandfather, Pakku. Aang went on to go bring more balance to the world, visiting all over the place, helping out Zuko a lot. And Toph and Suki went back home to the Earth Kingdom; Toph to go and live with her parents and visit with them and Suki to get back to the other Kyoshi warriors.

Katara and Zuko sort of kept in touch, via messenger hawk occasionally. She read of news of what was going on up there in the Fire Nation capital and only little word on his personal affairs. Katara vaguely knew of him and Mai breaking up after being an item for a long time. She didn't know how to feel of that, Katara never liked Mai and didn't think her gloomy aura was that great for Zuko, him having to stay positive and hopeful if he was going to lead a country.

He also knew that Katara and Aang were over too. The distance wouldn't have worked for the pair to stay together, Aang always traveled around the world. Katara also never thought of Aang in that romantic way, she always looked down at the air bender as a brother. A brother like Sokka. That day at the Jasmine Dragon, Iroh's new tea shop where they kissed, Katara really only did that out of overwhelming emotion. She thought about it later and questioned why she even knowingly let her lips touch his. Aang's hopes for their relationship skyrocketed, and they got into a cloudy relationship, with Katara's mind aback. Once he left to go travel the world, leaving Katara after a teary eyed departure, Katara hasn't seen Aang in about a year. Even without the occasional letters of messenger hawk Zuko oh so kindly gave to them, Katara knew that Aang would be okay without her, and without anyone else. He's the Avatar, and this is his duty. Aang was happy enough to finally be doing something that would help the world besides trying to hastily master elements and defeat the Fire Lord.

And after several years, Katara finally decided that it would be best to start visiting some of her old friends, with Sokka right on her heals. Toph and Suki were first on the list, both being short visits, and Sokka didn't leave with Katara when they were planning on leaving Kyoshi Island. Katara didn't even want to think of what her brother could possibly be doing. And the visit with Toph was short, she and the young earth bender never being that close.

So now, she was on a ferry to the Fire Nation Capital, in hopes that she could see Zuko without him being so busy. Well, he should be expecting her, she did send that stupid messenger hawk to him and it was bound to get to him about week ago. Katara stood staring out at the water, her slender hands clinging on to the ropes that acted as a fence surrounding the boat.

_Why oh why did I choose to come during the summer? _She thought restlessly, wiping the budding sweat from her forehead and lifting her thick dark brown hair off the nape of drenched neck. Katara silently prayed for a breeze as she saw land show in the distance. _Finally_. Seeing Zuko was the last thing that she needed to do before heading back to the Southern Water tribe. She was the only female water bender there who knew how to fight, and Katara had many unofficial students she needed to tend to at home now.

After another hour, the old run-down ferry drifted and docked into the harbor of the Capital, letting all of the people off. There was a lot more travel around the world now that the war was over, and many people, especially those in the Earth Kingdom took this opportunity to see the Fire Nation for themselves without fear of being killed. When Katara last left, the whole place was in ruins and spoils of war, tree's and houses and buildings burnt down or damaged from the attacks. In Zuko's letters, all of it only recently got rebuilt to its former glory.

Katara carefully stepped off the ship and started making her way through the city, side stepping away from people and buildings and made a beeline towards the direction of the palace she surprisingly still remembered where it was. After passing through the guards of the large Estate, them knowing full well who she was and that she was welcome to the house, she stood in front of the large doors aimlessly.

_Here goes_

Her fingers clutched the magnificent brass knocker on the large entrance and forced it several times against the wood. Katara couldn't decide why she was especially nervous for this little visit. They were _only_ friends. Once sworn enemies but gained each other's trust. Nothing would change that.

A/N

**Alrighty, excuse the..bluntness of this prolouge. Hey,we all have to start somewhere? And this just clears the waters of to what this fic is even about. trust me it will get better! Please Review!**

**Oh, and if you like Taang and some Zutara and even some Sukka, you should read this Drabble series my sister, Jordan has been working on**

**Her account name is: SmileyBAM03. She'll appreicate readers and reviews.**

**Thanks! chapter one will be up soon.**


	2. Visitor

**here is the first chapter! it was pretty easy to write, wow, two updates in one day. I'd like to thank Untilthemoonrises for reviewing..being the first reviewer :] thanks, and enjoy. pleaseee review and tell me what you think/constructive critism **

**here goes!**

Those were the quickest five years of Zuko's twenty one year old life. The young Fire Lord spent all of his days now rebuilding and settling disputes and bringing his Nation back together since the war ended five years ago when he was barely seventeen years old. Compared to his father, grandfather, great grandfather and so on, Zuko was one of the youngest Fire Lords, taking on the duty with haste and full of melancholy burdens. Unlike most of his ancestors and bloodline, he had and is still in the process of rebuilding a nation, settling everything his family has done with the rest of the world and helping to take the nations out from the darkness of war. All that most of his family has done is destroy and seek ruthless power. If he was going to change this nation and find peace, the last thing he really needed was power.

The only one of Zuko's family who was even there to help him was Iroh, but he resided mostly in Ba Sing Se, tending to his tea shop, living his retirement dream. Iroh was Zuko's moral support these days, being more of a father then Ozai ever was during his reign. Messenger hawks were always going back and forth between the Uncle and Nephew, filled with Zuko's ideas and problems and bumps in the road, and Iroh's wise, but sometimes hard to comprehend advice and wisdom. The only thing that the retired general ever led was attack and war, but his advice was the best that Zuko was going to get from his family.

Aang came in and out of the Fire Nation all the time, being a fully realized Avatar; he had so much to settle and a lot of places to go and people to tend to, bringing the world back together. Zuko and the Avatar worked together a lot with national disputes and settlements. Aang rarely seemed to dwell on his personal life, and only seemed to look towards his Avatar duties. Zuko took that example of not letting personal burdens interfere with what was needed to be done.

Personal burdens being things that have to do with a certain gloomy young woman that Zuko was once in love with, Mai. After the war ended and things started settling down Mai became Zuko's advisor and attempted to help with disputes of running a nation, having some background knowledge of government, her father having been ruling over Omashu during the war. Their romantic flame the two once had started dying down once work really started to catch up to the Fire Lord. Mai could not seem to separate work from life and Zuko couldn't understand what he had once seen in the young woman. Zuko did not need her negativity and gloom to be assisting him while he's trying to run a country. He didn't need that at all in their relationship. Although he was tired of her no enthusiasm and attitude like there is no hope, he kept her in her working position with him; Zuko sometimes needed a realistic view on things.

The only sound in the great hall of the fire nation palace was the sounds of Zuko's footsteps hammering at the ground as he paced around in circles waiting for the water benders arrival. Why was he so nervous just to see Katara? It only felt like yesterday the two became friends, after being long enemies, with her especially along with the Avatar. Was it because he hadn't seen her in years? Was it something else? The young ruler left the great hall and paced around the whole palace now, ignoring any servants or assistants who asked him if he needed anything. His rut came to a halt by Mai, who appeared out of nowhere, bringing her dark aura along. Her dark clothes and long black hair blending in with the shadows of the corner of the room she resided in for the moment.

"Waiting for that Katara girl?" she spat, Mai has always been hostile and cold to Zuko especially, since they broke up. He only kept her working with him was because he needed someone young to work with, and Mai was the only one who really knew what she was doing. "What does she have to with anything? _Fire Lord_ Zuko. I thought you were too busy with work to have visitors" She said this more like a statement.

Zuko huffed an irritable sigh. "This doesn't concern you, Mai. I'm Fire Lord, I can have anyone over, whoever and whenever." Even referring to himself as Fire Lord still sounded foreign and strange rolling off of his tongue. He was responded to by the bleak woman rolling her narrow catlike eyes.

"That _peasant_ will distract you from what you're supposed to be doing, Something bad will happen in _wherever _land and you'll be too busy staring at some water bender to take care of, and then who will it be to have to clean up whatever mess may happen? Me. Your "wonderful" advisor."

"That's ridiculous Mai. Katara would not be distracting. She helped save the world, the Avatar, my _life._" He paused. "You could show her some respect"

"What do I have to respect about her? Some filthy peasant that thinks she's all that because she's master water bender and she saved the world?"

Zuko gave a light smirk, glancing at the front door. Silence.

"I think someone's jealous, Mai…" he teased, trying to get her irritated. Her face burnt red, fists clenching.

"Just because you broke up with me…"

"_We_ broke up" Zuko clarified, crossing his arms in front of his red covered robed chest.

"Doesn't mean I'm jealous of _her_" she finished. "Why would I be?" Just as Mai said that, the knocker on the door hammered, the banging sent an echo through the entrance room. The banging brought Zuko back from the argument and full attention on life.

"I'll be in my office, if you need anything, Fire Lord" Mai told him, without the usual forced bow. She silently slid down the hall and disappeared.

Zuko paused for a moment, staring aimlessly at the door. That was probably Katara, waiting for him. What was he going to say? It's been so long. Will she be any different? Will she think he's any different? …will she look any different? He always thought that the young water bender was pretty, with her slender body, rich tan skin and bright blue eyes and her friendly smile that spread across her face when she's happy. Just for old times' sake, Zuko pulled his top knot that yanked at his scalp and shook out the shaggy black mop that almost brushed his shoulders now. After straightening his robes and his spine, he made his way over to the door, pulling it open, his ears ringing from the wood screeching against the stone.

As soon as light came into the room, he saw the familiar Water Tribe beauty that stood before him. In the past five years, Katara's wavy brown hair grew, now near her hips falling in a rippling cascade. Her large blue eggs were as bright as if the vast sky and the clear ocean touched, to create the color in those orbs. She may have grown a few inches, now being eye level with Zuko's chin. Katara was still slender and muscular, but grew a little in some…other places. She was gorgeous and seemed to bring sunshine into the normally seemingly dark palace.

"…Zuko…" The angel smiled, coming closer to the Fire Lord. He was speechless, but cleared his crowded head.

"Hello, Katara" He smiled, opening his strong arms, willing to receive a friendly embrace. Katara immediately took the hint and rushed into his arms, wrapping hers around his torso and rested her chin on his thick shoulder. She smelled of sunshine and sea water. Zuko laced his arms around the slim waist and sighed. It was so good to see her, to feel her friendly hug again.

"It's good to see you, Zuko" he heard her say from his shoulder. She backed up to get a look at him, still holding on.

"It's good to see you too, Katara. It's been so long." He replied, forgetting about everything for a moment. Like duties, problems and even Mai.

And Katara responded with that friendly smile that Zuko has learned to love.


	3. Bitterness

**Hey guys, I'm back. Sorry to not get back to it in like a week, I was busy, went to Six Flags, got sick, got writers block yeah. Thanks everyone who favorited and commented…. (All two of you...) please, if you favorite this fan fiction or subscribe please comment! I want to know what you all think! :D **

**Okay, well here is the second chapter; it's now in Mai's perspective. I think I'll switch it around and stuff, from like, Zuko, to Katara to Mai...and maybe someone else, can anyone guess who that might be? Ha-ha.**

_What could Zuko even see in her? A filthy water tribe peasant? He deserves woman of higher caliber, not some raggedy bender._ Mai thought bitterly as she stormed out of the main hall and through the maze of hallways and staircases until she reached her cozy office that was meant for the Fire Lord's advisor. Gripping the brass doorknob, the twenty year old swung the door open and slammed it, shaking the small room. She sure didn't want to hear what was going on out _there._

Everything in the office was a mix of dark red, brown and black, just outfitted to Mai's liking. The was a dark oak desk in one corner with stacks of papers, brushes and ink and an expensive oil lamp perched on the corner. Aside from the desk, there was also a small silk sofa and several other chairs and a coffee table that were more towards the middle of the room, also being a shade of dark burgundy and brown. There was a window with lighter red curtains, being the brightest thing in the cave only after Zuko had convinced her to add some color and light.

"_Let the world see how bright you are"._ Zuko had said sweetly to her two years ago when they were still in a committed relationship when he showed her the room she would be working in. Even then, but especially now, Mai rarely opened the curtains to let natural Fire Nation sunlight in. To this day she still wasn't a sunshiny girl and her mind was always filled with bitter thoughts. Mai huffed irritably, like always and sat down at the comfortable wooden and velvet chair in front of her desk.

_We have a nation to fix, and all he's worried about is Katara? How irresponsible of him..._ Mai thought, drumming her long finger nails against the hard wood, shifting through a pile of untouched paper work dealing with trading in the southern Earth Kingdom. _At least __I'm__ working._

Mai never understood at all why they had ended their relationship. She'd always been in love with Zuko, even when they were little kids and she would watch him with admirable shy eyes from afar. After the war, the two had spent a few good years dating, seemingly fully in love and infatuated with each other. Mai had never been happier in her whole life. She felt like a princess being his girl friend and for once she actually felt wanted and loved. When she and Zuko broke up, Mai felt more broken then she ever had, barely feeling the sunshine of the short time they dated. She didn't understand how Zuko could think she was lifeless and negative. _I'd like to think of it as being a realist_ she always thought to reassure herself. Mai was still surprised, and secretly grateful that she was able to keep her job, and did not have to move back in with her high standing parents.

A/N

**sorry that was so short. trust me, its gonna get better. just keep reading please!**


	4. nightmare

**Okay, well here is Chapter 3; hopefully it will get more interesting from here. Sorry I haven't been too consistent although, this is better than how I usually do with fanfictions. So now at barely 7:30 in the morning I have some coffee, toast and music blasting so it's time to write! Enjoy, this is a chapter that is a lot like my old fan fiction on one of my old accounts, you can find in the prologue if you are interested**

**Enjoy**

It was as if she was alone in the world. The skies were dark and eerie but it wasn't night time, or at least, Katara thought it wasn't. A big red ball of fire hung low towards the west in the sky and casted a strange apocalyptic glow on the surface the Earth. Soot and ash covered the ground like a light layer of fresh snow and trees and plants were burned. Silence shook hands and danced with war torn looking area and the distinct smell of fire and ash. Katara whipped her head around to try to see any forms of life anywhere. Her feet began to move in a running attempt to try to investigate for people.

The more she ran and the more she searched, the burnt up and torn place began to take image of how the Fire Nation capital was looking during the arrival of Sozin's Comet. Katara vaguely recognized the Palace and the city and the outer wall that surrounded everything.

_Why am I here?_ She thought, circling burnt buildings, her blue eyes darting back and forth trying to see what and who she could find here. The only sound that she could barely hear was the sound of her own footsteps pounding against the stone ground as she ran and her own soft heart beat.

"Hello?" Katara called, standing still for a moment. Not even a breeze rolled in and it was as if the world was dead. "Is anyone here?" she tried again, disappointedly being responded with no sound at all. Why was she even_ here_ of all places? The war was over wasn't it? Katara slowed down into a walking pace and searched the area some more. The torn Capital city gave her an ominous feeling of dread and unexplained sadness that every step was a mental burden and she almost didn't want to keep on moving. _Maybe I'm dreaming?_ She settled with her busy mind. _But why does everything feel so…real?_

Just as she was thinking that and aimlessly walking she heard a familiar voice call her name.

"Katara! Is that you?" The voice called. It sounded like Zuko. Katara felt light and sadness free for the moment and looked up and saw the fire bender standing about twenty feet away waiting for her. _How'd he get there?_ Katara's pace quickened as she ran over to him, and without thinking, the nineteen year old collapsed into the comforting strong arms of the young Fire lord.

"Where the hell are we?" Katara's muffled voice asked from being pressed into his shoulder. Zuko's arms were wrapped tightly but comfortably around her. "Where is everyone?"

"I don't know" he answered, Katara could feel his neck vibrate when he spoke, he glanced around.

"Am I dreaming?" Katara asked, seeing if something like that would trigger her waking up, she looked up at Zuko with her big blue eyes. He stared down at her with his piercing yet comforting amber orbs, his large scar overpowering his face. Katara use to be afraid of the scar, seeing and relating it to the face of the enemy. Now the burn mark that was left by Ozai on the fire bender was just part of who Zuko is, becoming less intimidating and friendlier as the time they spent together went on. His hand released its grasp from her waist and trailed up to her chin, making Katara shiver at his sudden warm touch. He used his index and middle finger to carefully and subtly tilt her tan chin upward to face him better. Zuko gazed straight into her eyes with gentle compassion; it made it hard for her to look away.

"I hope it isn't" He whispered sweetly but bluntly. He paused for a moment, anticipating Katara's look of sheer confusion. Her brow furrowed and lip turned into a questionable pout.

"Why?" she questioned.

In response to her question Zuko slowly leaned his face down so it was directly across from Katara's. Their lips were about an inch away from each other and she could feel his hot breath softly puffing into her face.

_Is he going to?_ She thought, wondering why she wasn't moving away from his lips that came closer and closer to her own. Zuko's soft and warm lips brushed against hers and once they settled she could hear him let out an audible sigh. A sigh as if he had been waiting to do that or that would be the only time he could. Katara blinked in confusion, but changed her mind about pulling away.

_This has got to be a dream…_ she mused in her head as she felt Zuko's hands wrap around her waist and his mouth deepen the kiss. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she wished it wasn't, but that's what dreams are for. No one else has to hear about this…

Their lips broke apart and Katara secretly craved more of the kiss. She never felt that way kissing Aang. Not that much passion, deepness and warmth that she just got from Zuko. They gazed again into each other's eyes, this time with more familiarity and passion. A light smile appeared on Zuko's lips and the same for Katara, only hers was more flushed and surprised but equally just as happy.

There was more silence for the moment that was pleasurable yet eerie at the same time. The two young adults stared into each other's eyes for just another moment. It was barely two seconds when Zuko was knocked down to his feet and hit the ground with a loud thump.

It took Katara a moment to fully register what had happened. She looked down at Zuko to see him lying helplessly on the ground, with a huge burn mark in his chest, making a hole from the burn in his clothing. He barely moved. Katara shot her head around to see who could possibly do this. Finally, she noticed a figure standing in the distance...No wait, two figures standing far away. Who were they? Katara squinted her eyes and focused towards the distance. One of the people began to laugh an evil cackle that sounded so horrifyingly familiar.

Azula…

"What are you doing here!" Katara yelled, getting in fighting position. The two people got closer and Katara figured that the other woman was Mai, with her tall, plain and doomed expression. Zuko moaned in pain from by her feet.

"Finishing off what should have been done five years ago!" Azula evilly responded, powerfully fire bending a blast of flame towards Katara's way. Katara flicked her wrists to water bend but no water came out of the pouch she always kept safely hitched to her back. _I can't bend now too? _She still ended up barely dodging the flame. Azula approached closer to her and Mai tagged along at her heals.

"You can't bend now can you?" Azula cackled, her fingers flaming and her amber eyes matching the burn of the fire. Just as she said that, with one motion Mai pinned her to the ground with her daggers and knives and Azula brought back her hand as if she was just about to strike, instead of striking Katara, Azula shot the helpless Fire lord with a bright blue blast of lightning with full force. Katara's screams couldn't even be heard. Zuko didn't even scream, maybe didn't even notice but when Katara looked across to try to get a better view of the man who just kissed her, no one was there. She glanced back up at Azula. Why was Azula attacking so slowly? Just as this crossed her mind, Azula shot a blue bolt of lightning in Katara's way, her face filled with an evil glare. Katara screamed and shot up in bed staring into the darkness.

Why did this dream scare her so much? Why was Azula in there? Why _Zuko?_ Katara sat alone in the dark for a moment after the yelling ceased. She wiped sweat that budding on her brow and looked around. It was the first night she was staying in the fire nation palace and she wasn't all that comfortable with being practically given the royal treatment. The guest room bed she slept on was practically as big as a decent size bedroom and the room itself was as big as three igloos in the South Pole. And that was just the bedroom. The private guest room included a private bathroom with a huge bathtub that could fit much more than one person. Katara leaned over to turn on the oil lamp that sat right by her bed that was covered with silky sheets and blankets, all red of course.

After a few moments, there was a steady knock at the heavy metal door. It brought Katara out of her petrified daze. "Yes?" she choked out, wiping her face with the back of her hand and climbed out of bed and smoothed her flowing white night gown. She glanced out the window; it couldn't be more than a few hours before dawn.

"Katara?" the voice behind the door asked. It was Zuko. _Why him? Did he hear me?_ "Are you alright? Can I come in?" Katara shivered all of a sudden and paced to the door, pulling with all force to open just barely a crack big enough for a person to sneak through.

Zuko entered through the crack, with his hair down and wearing a simple red robe that obviously covered whatever he might've been sleeping in. His black, normally combed to perfection hair was messy and he had bags underneath his amber eyes.

"Did I wake you?" Katara asked weakly, blushing.

Zuko gave a good natured sigh. "No, I couldn't sleep so I was walking around where I heard screaming, so I wanted to see if you were okay. …Are you okay?" he asked. Why did he sound so awkward?

"Yes, I'm fine…Zuko..." Katara began. "Thank you for your concern." She didn't know what to call him, if she should call him "Fire Lord" or not. He seemed to be fine with just "Zuko" They were both quiet for a moment.

"Bad dream?" Zuko asked knowingly. Katara nodded, still blushing and to her surprise, Zuko stepped closer to her and opened his arms out to give her a quick and comforting embrace. As surprised as Katara was, she took it gratefully. "That's all I need to know" Zuko chuckled, with and understanding voice. They broke the embrace and looked at each other for a moment. Just like how they did in Katara's dream.

"Uh, well, goodnight. Let me know if you need anything, Katara" Zuko told her after a few awkward moments of silence. He bowed slightly and Katara bowed back, hesitantly. Zuko then quietly edged out of her bedroom, leaving Katara alone to crawl back into bed. But the images from her nightmare still hung in her mind. Why did that dream feel so real? Why did it seem like it would happen?


End file.
